It is with the deepest interest we Social Democrats must watch the
campaign over the Osborne decision. For the first time since the formation of the
Labour group in the House of Commons, the Labourists now have begun to realise
the genuine importance of a national campaign. From now on till the autumn session
begins, they are going to stump the country to create a public opinion that will
cause the Liberals (their dear friends who love their presence in the House!) to
reverse the “awful” decision that will deprive them of their
wages.

Why did they not do that on behalf of the unemployed millions two years ago?
Why did they not get thrown out with Grayson, and do as he did afterwards? Why
did they not fight for the Tyneside engineers or the Belfast dockers? Their only
excuse was that such was not statesmanlike, or not practical. Yet all the time
they could stand on Liberal platforms and write in Liberal “rags” for
free trade, temperance, and a change of the human heart through a Christianity
they use but do not believe.

What did not become them to perform on behalf of the class that put them into
Parliament and kept them there seems plainly to suit them now that their personal
interests are affected…

Shortly after the return of the Labour men in 1906, Hardie and other so-called
“democrats” repudiated payment of members and election expenses, as
their claim on trade unions gave them financial advantage over the Social
Democratic Party. Their very attitude on this radical, chartist and real
working-class economic reform certainly gave the clue that has led up to the
Osborne decision. The capitalists’ early dodges to kill the Labour Party
completely failed, and in the end they had to resort to the risky expedient put
into operation by Osborne. For, as we Social Democrats know full well, Osborne
certainly did not initiate the action he took on his own account, but on the
plunderers. Hardie’s advantage has gone, and he, with his invertebrate
colleagues, are frantic…

The practical question for us, however, is not merely the exposure of
political incapacity of the Labour Party, but the carrying on of the class war
under the circumstances, and thus giving the lead the workers really want. It is
our business, as our executive is trying to do, to rally the support of the
trade unions at present attacked by the masters, and to show the meaning of the
simultaneous attack by lock-outs and Osborne decisions. Ours is also to point out
the insincerity of the capitalists in their offer of payment of members and
election expenses, but at the same time accept the offer by pressing for its
realisation during the coming autumn session… To this we must add the cry
for a reversal of the Osborne decision, for such a hampering of the trade
unions obviously tends to cripple them. The Taff Vale decision enabled the
capitalists to steal, to confiscate the funds of the union did they dare to
strike. This judge-made law was the final argument that forced politics on the
unions. Obviously, then, to clear them out of political activity is the first
step towards their ultimate annihilation. This is too much an insult to our class
in this twentieth century of Christian civilisation under the benign regime of a
paternal Liberal government…